2. SPORTS JOURNALISM
- is a form of writing that reports
on sporting topics and games. While
the sports department within
some newspapers has been mockingly
called the toy department, because
sports journalists do not concern
themselves with the 'serious' topics
covered by the news desk, sports
coverage has grown in importance as
sport has grown
in wealth, power and influence.
3. THE LEDE
-The lede of your story should include the final score and some details about what
made the game interesting. Generally this means focusing on the efforts of an
individual player.
-Let’s say a team’s star athlete is injured and a previously unheralded player
comes into the game as a substitute. Not much is expected of this rookie but he
defies expectations and plays a great game, leading the team to victory.
4. THE BODY OF THE STORY
- The body of your story should basically elaborate on the lede. If your lede was
about the benchwarmer becoming the game’s star, then the body should go into
more detail about that. Often a simple chronological account works best.
5. THE WRAP UP
- The wrap up or ending of your
story usually centers on quotes
from the coach and players gleaned
from post-game interviews or press
conferences. Getting great
quotes for sports stories can
sometimes be tough – coaches and
athletes often speak in clichés – but
a snappy quote can really be the
icing on the cake of your game
story.
6. ELEMENTS OF SPORTS WRITING
Writing
-The way a piece is written is the most important aspect. No matter how
interesting the story is, it will be impossible for the reader to follow or enjoy the
piece if it is not presented in a clear and coherent manner. This is how I feel about
the ‘work’ of a lot of amateur bloggers out there, who clearly have no formal
training in journalism, and sometimes in basic grammar!
Interesting story
-This is a very subjective category. What is interesting to one person is not
necessarily interesting to another.
7. Good quotes/interviews
-Good quotes and interviews are extremely important aspects of
sports articles. Serious sports fans already know much of the
narrative material of the article, and it is the access that journalists
have to get quotes and interviews that readers crave.
Having a story be about either a big event or a recognizable, high
profile athlete is not at all important.
-I realize that for the average fan, or a layman this may actually be
the most important factor in whether or not a story will be able to
hold their attention. But for me, star power has never been
important. I will an example to illustrate my point. I am a big tennis
fan, but my interest in tennis extends far beyond the bright lights of
Arthur Ashe stadium in New York or Center Court at Wimbledon
